Forget-Me-Not

"I would say that went rather well," Sakura said.

"Yeah," Yasmine concurred. "About as well as a steak can get, so. . . burnt. That whole conversation was a dumpster fire."

Lorelei laughed quietly as Sakura frowned in confusion. It was nice to have people supporting her. While Jason had always been there, it somehow felt different with Sakura and Yasmine. They still walked near her as they took the scenic route back to the ballroom.

As she had agreed, Lorelei had heard Kian and Asher out. Their arguments were less about the fact that she was leaving. Rather they or, more specifically Asher, seemed to care more about the why. Asher seemed to think it absolutely implausible that Lorelei would ever want to separate herself from the Astair-Aerfare family. Kian couldn't grasp the fact that said family had never truly been there for her, but that was an issue for another day. 

"Why are you two here?" It didn't make sense for Sakura and Yasmine to support her when they all hardly knew each other.

Sakura smiled as they passed by the back of the palace. "You helped me. Without your help, I would have made an utter fool of myself at the Dance of Spirits." The back gardens glittered in the fading light.

 Jason was likely somewhere out there. He always liked to slip away during formal events, be it to see the scenery or avoid invasive questions from the other nobles. In previous years, Lorelei would find him on one particular bench far away from the palace, next to a patch of forget-me-nots. He would always be simply staring at the sky, as if using the flowers to forget where he was. What was he looking for up there?

"As for me," Yasmine said. "I've always liked you."

"Since when?" Lorelei asked incredulously. It wasn't like the two of them had talked much, if at all.

"Since I heard you were speaking out against Sophia." Yasmine sighed. "I swear, that woman is full of baloney."

Baloney?

Suddenly, Lorelei's mind slammed to a halt. "Are you saying you believe my story?"

"Well, yeah." Yasmine said it like it was an obvious fact. "I know it sounds kind of weird on the surface but, when you've traveled to another world, your sense of reality kind of expands. Plus, anyone with a brain can see that Sophia is fake as all get-out."

"Um," Sakura cut in. "I thought nobles were not supposed to speak informally to each other without express permission first."

"I swear, that's such a stupid rule!" Yasmine said, clearly annoyed. "Losing the contractions takes so much of the punch out of my words! If it bothers you, though, I can stop."

"No, it is okay," Sakura said, a shy smile gracing her already adorable face. "I am not the biggest fan of the rule, either."

"Honestly! I wish I had the time to try and change it." Yasmine went on. "If I didn't have my restaurant, I'd do whatever I could to get people to drop the rule. Anything to be able to use contractions again normally."

As the two walked back into the ballroom, the nobles turned their heads towards them. Murmurs started to ripple through the crowd of attendees. The people's attention strangely refused to waver. Lorelei didn't understand why they were so intent. It was not the first time she'd slipped away from an event.

A man, Marquess Florence, approached her. With short brown hair and white attire, he was rather quiet normally, though quite cordial. He was only a few years younger than her and Jason. Why was he approaching her?

"What a radiant lady you are," the marquess said. He then blinked hard, as though something was bothering him behind his eyes. "Perhaps I could interest you for a dance?"

Lorelei was aghast. She was a married woman! Granted, it was not out of love, but still. Next to her, Sakura and Yasmine looked just as appalled.

"Marquess Florence," Lorelei said sharply. "I am a married lady."

"To whom?"

Was this man senile? "Jason Terrtrove."

Deciding not to entertain this man's nonsense any further, Lorelei brushed past him, searching for her mother. It took a minute, but Lorelei eventually spotted that elegant strawberry blond hair she shared with her. Her mother had one perfectly manicured hand pressed against her forehead, as if she were warding off dizziness. Perhaps their argument had affected her more than Lorelei thought.

"Mother!" Lorelei walked briskly to meet the woman who had brought her into this world.

She had a plan this time. She was still leaving, but that didn't mean she couldn't help make it a clean break. She could divorce Jason, then spend some time away. Slowly, she could drop out of noble society. Sure, it wasn't her best plan, nor her favorite, but it was a compromise. Hopefully, her mother would at least take a compromise.

When she arrived at her mother's side, the woman stepped back. "May I help you?"

"I know you did not like my plan before, but I have come up with a compromise," Lorelei started. "I still intend to leave."

Her mother opened her mouth to speak, but Lorelei continued, "I know that leaving is not ideal or okay socially, but I need to do this."

"I have spent my whole life in your shadow, doing exactly what you want me to do," Lorelei continued. "I need to find my own way, and that way is not here."

"My sincerest apologies," Lorelei's mother interrupted, rubbing her head again. "I believe you might have the wrong woman."

Lorelei frowned. "Pardon?"

The woman smiled. "I am not your mother."

Lorelei's world froze. Why would she say such a thing? She knew her mother had been mad, but to refuse to acknowledge her at all, and at such a prestigious event, as well? Her mother was never one to act disorderly at a formal affair. What would possess her to do such a thing? Did Lorelei truly mean that little to her?

"What?!" Yasmine said, shocked.

"Oh, dear," Sakura said, one hand over her mouth.

Lorelei stared at her mother, eyes wide. "Why would you even. . .?"

Suddenly, Lorelei looked at the other nobles. She remembered the silence they had faced when they had entered. She recalled Marquess Florence's uncharacteristic advances. The murmuring had gotten even louder, and now Lorelei could make out what they were saying.

"Who is that woman?"

"She said she was married to Count Terrtrove, but that cannot be."

"The count has never married."

Lorelei looked carefully at the crowd, people she had known for much of her life. Baroness Litchfield had watched her occasionally as a child, helping her learn to balance her books. Count Kihla was a friend of Jason's, one who had once spoken up for her once when an errant guest had tried to belittle her. Dutchess Orviot had been the one to offer Lorelei a place during her first Dance of Spirits. The woman had made sure that Lorelei was okay throughout the whole process, even covering up her mistake during the dance.

Her voice quivered as she spoke. "Do none of you know. . . who I am?" Collectively, they all responded to her.

No.

This could not be possible. She had known these people all her life! She had socialized, avoided, and simply existed with them. How could they just forget all that?

But the facts did not deceive her. No matter how it had occurred, none of the people in this ballroom, save for Sakura and Yasmine, who were still wide-eyed with shock, knew her name. Count Kihla did not remember defending her. Baroness Litchfield did not remember helping Lorelei finally stack enough books on her head to move on to the next lesson. Dutchess Orviot did not remember placing her body in front of Lorelei's so the people watching didn't see her falter.

Even Lorelei's own mother didn't remember her only daughter.